In April, DoDEA rolled out its five-year strategic plan, the Blueprint for Contin-uous Improvement.

The blueprint serves as the foundation for all DoDEA’s plans and efforts. DoDEA will use it as a basis to make improvements across the school system. For more information about the blueprint, visit https://www.dodea.edu/Blueprint/index.cfm.

DoDEA is also implementing College and Career Ready Standards, which support the mobile, military-connected students as they move in and out of DoDEA schools.

CCRS provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them succeed. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers.

CCRS is implemented in different phases.

This school year, DoDEA will roll out new literacy and science standards for pre-kindergarten to 5th grade as well as a revised business management career pathway as part of career and technical education. This career pathway offers courses in management, business law, business/personal finance, marketing/entrepreneurship, and spreadsheets/ databases. For more information about CCRS implementation, visit https://www.dodea.edu/collegeCareerReady/ccr-standards.cfm.

Additionally, DoDEA is launching Choices360, a systemic career and academic online planning tool that will enable students in grades 7-12 to have access to high-quality learning experiences around exploring, planning and preparing for life after high school.

School counselors
will implement Choices360 to help students engage in rigorous course planning, understand the college application process, explore college and career options that best fit their interests and goals, apply for college, and find and apply for scholarships.

This school year, there will be four new 21st century school buildings opening.

The schools are E.A. White Elementary School in Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Campbell High School at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Bolden Elementary/Middle School in Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina; and DeLalio Elementary School in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Last spring, DoDEA transitioned to online standards-based assessments with the administration of the College and Career Ready Standards Summative Assessments in mathematics and literacy for certain grades. These CCRS-aligned summative assessments measure student mastery of content standards taught for the grade level and/or course.

Last year was the first year for the new DoDEA CCRS Comprehensive Assessment. The results will be shared in the fall. n